UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE MUTUAL PARTICIPATION PROGRAM (MPP) ACT OF 1976, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND PAROLE AND PROBATION COMMISSION HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS QUALIFIED INMATES TO CONTRACT FOR A DEFINITE RELEASE DATE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SPECIFIED OBJECTIVES. SINCE THE FIRST ORIENTATION SESSIONS WERE HELD IN OCTOBER, 1976, 531 SUCH SESSIONS HAVE BEEN HELD TO INTRODUCE THE MPP PROGRAM TO INMATES (TOTAL AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, 1978). DURING THE SAME PERIOD, OVER 3,500 PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED BY INTERESTED INMATES. OF THESE, OVER 1,300 HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED, APPROVED BY THE INSTITUTIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS, AND FORWARDED TO THE PAROLE AND PROBATION COMMISSION. AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, THERE WERE 729 INMATES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM UNDER CONTRACT AND WORKING TOWARD SPECIFIC INSTITUTIONAL AND POSTRELEASE OBJECTIVES. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 500 CONTRACTS PUT IN FORCE OVER THIS 1YEAR PERIOD IN THE EIGHT MAJOR INSTITUTIONS WHERE THE PROGRAM IS NOW OFFERED. ANALYSIS OF DATA NOW AVAILABLE SUPPORTS THE GENERAL CONCLUSION THAT MPP IS A NECESSARY PROGRAM THAT BENEFITS THE PARTICIPATING INMATE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL RISK TO SOCIETY. THIS CONCLUSION IS SUPPORTED BY THE RESTITUTION REQUIREMENTS IN 36 PERCENT OF THE CONTRACTS; PAROLE OPPORTUNITY FOR A GREATER NUMBER OF OFFENDERS AND EARLIER RELEASE FOR INMATES. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE HISTORY AND PROCEDURES OF MPP, A COMPARISON OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MPP PARTICIPANTS WITH INMATES RELEASED ON STANDARD PAROLE, AND A COMPARISON OF THE TIME SERVED BY MPP PARTICIPANTS WITH THAT OF PAROLEES UNDER TRADITIONAL PROCEDURES. SUPPORTING TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED.